Family
by Abigail Rose V
Summary: Abused One Direction boys get found by Simon and are transported into The Land Before Time to be raised.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Simon watched sadly as all five boys scuttled back out of sight.

He knew he just had to get his hands on those boys and make them into something great, but they had been so badly abused he could not do much with them.

He had to get help just as soon as he earned their trust.

Liam, Louis, Zayn, Niall, and Harry stood trembling, heads bowed, while their master raged at them.

"All this time, and you STILL didn't bring back the jar!" he yelled, pacing back and forth.

Nome of the boys uttered a word.

"Nothing to say for yourselves, eh? Well, no food for you, you can sleep in the gutters again, and you can have this." He pulled a whip off a hook on the wall of the shack he sometimes let the boys stay in, if they had done something he really liked or he was just in a rare good mood.

The five boys nearly collapsed in fear as the burly man drew back his arm to strike them with the long whip, but a man's strong voice suddenly rang out, " STOP."

Simon strode into view, a handful of police behind him. " These boys are mine now, and you go with them." He pointed to the police, who quickly surrounded the man and handcuffed him.

Simon turned to the cowering boys and smiled gently at them, "Come now, you are safe with me. Let's go home."

As the police dragged the man who had been abusing them away, Simon tried in vain to get the boys to look at him as they walked to his SUV.

He did not want to command them, because he wanted them to realize they were not going to be made to do anything, but he really needed to know their names and ages.

Before he opened the door to his SUV, he paused and turned once again to the skeletal bunch behind him.

"Boys, would you please look at me and tell me your names and ages, I really need to know." Simon spoke firmly, but kindly, and this time the one he assumed to be the oldest look up at him.

The boy had nearly curly brown hair, sad chocolaty brown eyes, and a birthmark on his neck.

" 'S Liam. 'm 14." The boy mumbled, looking back down and hugging the dark haired boy and the blonde haired boy tightly to his chest.

" Thank you Liam." Simon said, smiling broadly. " Now, how about you?" he pointed to the next oldest looking one, a blue eyed, brown haired boy who was the only one besides the blonde who he caught sneaking glances at him on the way there.

"L-L-Louis. 15." The boy whispered, then hid his face in Liam's shoulder.

Simon was surprised. Liam was not the oldest then.

He turned to the cute boy with the thick curls.

"And what is your name cutie?" Simon asked, then regretted it as the boy started trembling and clung tighter to Louis.

Louis bent his head a bit and whispered into the other boys ear, then the curly-haired lad slowly raised his head, exposing his beautiful green eyes.

" Harry. 13." The boy spoke thickly, and slowly, seeming to have difficulty in pronouncing his words.

As Simon turned to the other two, both of whom were cuddled up in Liam's arms, the chocolate-eyed boy looked up again.

"The blonde is Niall, he's 13, and this one is Zayn. He's 14." Liam's voice trembled, but he managed to speak clearly this time.

Simon nodded and smiled, then opened the doors so the boys could get in.

All five drew back a little, their waif-like bodies trembling violently.

"You can get in, it won't hurt you, and neither shall I." Simon spoke soothingly, and the five boys piled in the backseat, leaving Simon to shut the doors.

Simon climbed in the drivers seat, but before he started the vehicle up, he looked back at the huddled group of boys.

" I am sorry to have to ask this, bit two of you will need to be up here, since not all of you can fit back there." Simon flinched at the effect his words had on the boys; almost at once, they all clung tighter to each other, Louis and the two youngest crying loudly into Liam.

Zayn just stayed where he was, clinging like he had been since Simon laid eyes on him, convulsive shivering racking his thin body every few seconds.

Simon's own eyes filled with tears, as he watched Liam sooth them others and speak quietly to Louis.

Then Liam unwrapped Zayn from him, prying his tightly gripping fingers from around his neck, off his arms, and finally transferring him to Harry, where, he too began to cry loudly, Harry's weak attempts as shushing him proving useless.

Trembling violently, Liam and Louis nearly crawled into the two seats closer to Simon, sitting down in them and immediately freezing into a sitting position, wide eyes staring at Simon unblinkingly.

Simon wanted so badly to just take them into his arms and sooth them, but he was not sure if they would freak out or not, so he just smiled at them instead.

" Could you please buckle up?" he asked as gently as he could, but pure fear leaped into the eyes of the two closest to him, and the shrank in their seats, shaking and whimpering as they buried their faces into their knees.

Simon felt helpless a he watched them all panic, then he made up his mind.

Getting on his phone, he called in a favor and a friend of his showed up and they swapped seats.

Thankful for tinted windows, Simon climbed into the back seat with the three youngest.

At once, Liam had landed on him, and before Simon knew it, he was being savagely bitten and his nose exploded into pain as Liam's fists connected with it.

"Git offn my bruthors." Liam growled, punching and kicking Simon repeatedly.

Simon held back a cry of pain as Liam punched his already bleeding nose again, the caught the boy's arms and quickly pulled him onto his lap, pinning him down and holding him tightly until he gave up fighting and cried instead.

Simon's face and arms were bleeding from multiple bite wounds, and of course he was sure his nose was broken.

"Brave boy." He wheezed, not loosening his grip on Liam who had stopped struggling and just sat limp in his lap, shaking and crying as the other boys cowered as far away form Simon as they could get.

Louis had climbed over the back of his seat and was with the other boys, trying to comfort them a little it seemed.

Simon gently stroked Liam's thick, tangled hair, finding it matted with dried, and fresh, blood, as well as dirt.

"Shhh, its okay, I'm not going to hurt you." He said softly, still petting the boy's hair, then moving down to his face and petting his cheeks.

"D-d-don't y-you dare h-hurt Lili." Louis growled weakly at him, then rubbed Harry's back as the boy began wheezing.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt any of you." Simon said, observing how Harry struggled for each breath he took. "Does he have asthma?"

Louis's eyes widened, and then he shook his head violently, more tears threatening to spill over as he looked imploringly at Simon. "H-Hazza's f-fine. D-don't t-t-take him aw-way p-p-lease."

Simon cooed gently. " I'm not going to take him away, but I have medicine to help him get better at home I can give him."

Louis burst into tears when Simon said this, and hugged Harry even closer the before, seeming not to notice the other two trying desperately to cling to him too.

"No, no, no m-m-mmedicine, p-please." Louis pleaded, squeezing his eyes shut.

Simon did not know what to say, but he was saved form answering when Zayn, opening his eyes for the first time since Simon had arrived, left Louis's side and shot over to Simon, crawling into his lap to latch onto Liam once again.

Simon only caught a quick glimpse of his hazel eyes, but they were so clouded with fear that Simon felt his heart about break.

He loosened his grip on Liam, and the boy stayed where he was much to Simon's surprise.

Simon then tried to stroke Zayn's hair, but Liam's shaking hand stopped him.

"Only I or Niall can touch 's hair." Liam said, not looking up.

"Okay." Simon said, then just stroked the back of Zayn's neck and rubbed his back.

They sat this way the rest of the trip, Niall clinging to Harry who clung to Louis, and Liam sitting in Simon's lap while holding Zayn tight.

Simon just hoped that once they all got out, that in the house things would go smoother, but he knew that was a very slim chance.

These boys were wrecked, worse then he had assumed, and he may need help sooner then he had expected.

Which meant it was high time to give his dinosaur friends a call, back in the land where there is no time as people know it.

The Land Before Time.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Everyone stayed in the same spots all the way to Simon's home.

Once the vehicle had stopped, however, Liam had let out a frightened squeak and had scrambled out of Simon's lap and over to the other three boys, immediately getting latched onto by them all.

Simon's friend shook his head as he looked back at them. " You have got your work cut out for you, old friend." He said, then opened the door and got out.

When he shut the door, the sound of it slamming shut made all five boys jump and cower, their eyes tightly closed, Harry's raspy breathing painfully loud.

Simon was thankful his friend had pulled into his garage, as he figured the boys would bolt if they were outside.

Still, he was sure this was going to take a while, just getting them out of the SUV and into the house where he could clean them up, feed them, and get them some medical attention.

He didn't doubt they were all heavily infested with worms and the like, and Harry's asthma needed attending too.

And he had to call the Rainbow Faces, his contact alien dinosaurs to see about sending them to the Great Valley to recover until they had become stable again.

Not to mention he had several bite wounds and a broken nose to attend too as well.

Moving slowly, so as not to frighten the boys any more then necessary, he reached over and opened the door on his side, then left it open as he moved around to the door the boys were huddled up against.

Carefully he opened it, not surprised when all the boys scrambled out the other door, leaving Simon to shut both of them as they huddled against the wall.

"You'll be staying here briefly until you go to live with some friends of mine." Simon spoke cheerfully. "Come on inside and I will get you taken care of."

Striding to the door, Simon watched the boys out of the corner of his eyes.

They were following him.

Opening the door, he stepped aside to allow them in.

They all came in, but skittered away from him as fast as they could go.

"This is the kitchen." Simon said, walking over to the refrigerator and opening it. " We will eat dinner once you boys get cleaned up."

Shutting the fridge, he walked into the next room.

Pausing, he looked back to see the five boys still huddled against the wall. "Come on boys, I want to show you the bathrooms where you can shower or bathe, your choice."

Quickly, the boys hurried after him as Simon set off once more.

Simon told the boys about each room as they passed through them, stopping in his library because as he glanced over his shoulder, he was sure he saw Louis's eyes light up.

"You like reading, Louis?" Simon asked kindly, watching Louis's eyes widen and all of them stiffen.

Louis thought desperately.

Sometimes their masters wanted them to tell the truth, and sometimes they wanted them to lie.

Louis did not know what to answer.

Simon saw the struggle in his face, and said gently, " I want to know what you really think, Louis, the truth please."

Frightened, Louis nodded his head and pressed hard up against Liam's back.

Simon smiled. " I enjoy reading too. When you come back here, you may read all you like."

Then he continued on, reaching the stairs, and showing them the bathrooms down the hall.

"Up there." He said, pointing up the stairs. " Is bedrooms and some more bathrooms. Feel free to use whichever you like, just stay out of my bedroom; it is the first one on the left up there. I will be in it if you need me."

So saying, Simon climbed the stairs, leaving the boys alone finally.

Unbeknownst to the boys, Simon was watching and listening to them via security cameras all around the house, so he would know what they were doing at all times.

After Simon left, Liam let out a shaky breath. "Well, do you tink we can trust 'im?" he asked the other boys.

"N-n-no." Louis shook his head violently. "Never t-trust anyone, y-you know that, Lili."

"He seemed nice." Harry slurred.

Louis cuddled Harry against his chest rubbing his back. " Y-you m-must never trust a single man in y-your life, o-okay Hazza?" Louis looked into Harry's green eyes.

Harry nodded and laid his head on Louis's shoulder as Niall looked around him. "W-what do we do now?" the small boy asked in a whispery voice.

"We find t' bathrooms." Liam said. "Simon said dey down dis way." The chocolate eyed boy began down the hallway, carrying a still silent Zayn.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Simon noticed that the more they relaxed, the clearer their speech became, and when they got nervous, or upset, it became hard to understand them again.

Take now, for instance.

All five had crowded into one bathroom, Simon was not surprised, and had locked the door.

" Well, who goes first?" Louis was saying, without a trace of his stutter.

"I think we all should go at once." Niall's voice was still whispery and shy, but he was not stuttering either.

Harry, however, still spoke thickly. " We won't all fit, Ni. Maybe Lou and I go first? Since Zayn is scared of the water."

Liam was as far from the tub as he could get, sitting down and stroking Zayn's dark hair while hugging him close and whispering in his ear.

He briefly glanced up and nodded, then resumed what he was doing with Zayn.

Zayn was shaking harder then he had been the whole time Simon had been with them, and the older man supposed it was because of the water, judging from what Harry had just said.

"Niall can bathe with you too." Liam said, quite clearly.

Louis rolled his eyes. " Why can't he bathe with you and Zayn? I gotta wash Harry you know."

Liam sighed as he slowly removed Zayn's shirt, though the boys struggled and then burst into tears. " Harry can wash himself while you help Niall, then you can help Harry. Okay Lou?"

Louis scowled, but did as he was told, helping Niall out of his clothing before turning to Harry and helping him.

Then he took his own off as Harry ran the water.

Liam had finally gotten Zayn undressed, and was trying to take his own clothes off with the dark-haired boy clinging to him.

Zayn was crying his eyes out, sobs racking his thin, scarred body.

Liam was finally forced to sit him on the toilet seat while he removed the rest of his clothing before picking him back up and walking around singing softly to him to try and calm him.

The whole time, Zayn kept his eyes firmly closed, much to Simon's disappointment.

Simon switched his gaze to the large tub when he heard a yelp and then pitiful crying from the other three.

He saw Louis trying to scrub Niall's filthy hair, and the boy trying to protect his head, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Louis sighed, and looked at Harry, who was watching with wide eyes. " Harrah, please hold his hands will you? I gotta clean his hair, and it's hurting him, and he won't let me clean him."

Harry scooted forward, and gently but firmly took Niall's hands in his and held them as Niall cried.

Louis washed and scrubbed, rinsing and washing again, until Niall's blonde hair was all clean and unmatted.

It was a lot whiter then it had looked before, and Louis gently patter his shoulder and told him to wash up while he helped Harry with his hair.

Harry was already crying as Louis soaped up the thick curls.

Louis looked over to where Liam was trying to sooth a frightened Zayn.

"Liam, can you help me? Harry's hair is harder to clean with those curls."

"Okay, give me a sec." Liam set Zayn down, though not without a struggle.

Zayn finally opened his eyes watching as Liam walked away from him, and then curled into a small ball, hiding his face once more.

Simon thought his eyes were beautiful, but the poor thing looked so lost without Liam holding him, it made Simon wonder what the boy had been through to make him so dependant on the others.

Hearing a howl, Simon resumed watching as Louis scrubbed Harry's curly hair, distress evident on his face.

Liam was trying to sooth Harry, but to no avail, and it was not helped by Niall trying to use the soap every time Louis did.

Liam finally held Harry's hands with one of his own, and reached over and handed Niall a separate bar of soap to wash himself with.

Finally, Louis finished with Harry, and could now wash himself.

Louis washed all but his hair, and instead turned to Liam, a sheepish look on his face.

"Lili?" he asked shyly. " C-could you maybe, wash my hair?"

Liam looked up from where he had been sitting with Zayn. " Of course Louis."

Liam got up, Zayn attaching himself to Liam's back as the other boy walked over to the tub and knelt down.

"Close your eyes Lou." Liam instructed, and then began scrubbing Louis's hair.

Louis did not yelp as the younger two had, but his shoulders were shaking, indicating that he was crying also.

As soon as Liam had finished, Louis washed the rest of his body, and ordered the other two out of the tub.

Harry and Niall had been enjoying just soaking in the water, and they both pouted as Louis herded them out.

Liam then proceeded to try and get in the tub as well, having to fight a suddenly mobile Zayn who tried to grab hold of everything and prevent them from touching the bath water.

With Louis's help, however, Zayn lost the battle and was held firmly in Liam's lap in the bath, Liam starting with Zayn's body first, and then his hair.

Zayn's hair was not as dirty as the rest of them, and Liam got through it without too much fuss.

He then let go, and Zayn leapt out of the tub and was caught by Louis, who then handed him a towel to dry off.

Finally, Zayn was behaving like the rest of them, as he stood with his eyes open and not clinging to anyone, drying himself off with the towel.

Liam had proceeded to wash himself, but when he got to his hair, he began sniffling.

Louis looked over and shook his head.

Kneeling by the tub, he tapped Liam's shoulder and held out his hands.

Liam shook his head as Louis coaxed him to let him help him, but it was no use.

Much to Simon's surprise, Liam cowered in the back of the tub, not looking at Louis.

"Harry, a little help please." Louis said as he moved around the tub to where he could reach Liam again.

"No, no, p-please, not m' hair!" Liam pleaded as Louis and Harry dragged him to the front of the tub again.

Harry held down Liam's hands as Louis began to wash Liam's hair, Liam kicking up a huge fuss.

Zayn came over and knelt by Harry, taking one of Liam's hands in his.

Liam peeked over at him, and tried to smile through his tears but Louis hit a thick tangle and had to comb through it, producing more shrieks of pain from Liam.

"Ow! Ow ow ow!" Liam cried as Louis finally finished.

Zayn petted Liam's cheek, Liam leaning into him as he did so.

"It's okay Liam." Zayn cooed, and much to Simon's surprise, his voice was as clear as a bell!

He at least expected a bad lisp, but no, this boy could talk perfectly!

Zayn helped Liam dry off and hugged him once he was all dry.

Liam was still sniffling as he dressed, and Louis hugged him as well.

"Now what?" Harry asked looking around for their clothes.

While they had all been watching Liam getting his hair washed, Simon had operated robotic controls that had taken their old clothing.

Now, as Liam wiped his nose and looked around also, Simon produced new clothes and dropped them on the floor nearby before retracting the robots.

All the boys looked at each other before slowly approaching the cloths and dividing them up.

The looks on their faces as they put on new, soft, fitting, clean clothes, made Simon's heart glad.

Even Liam had stopped crying by the time they were all dressed.

Then Liam looked at the door.

"We go out, I guess." He said to no one in particular, wrapping his arms around Zayn as the boy re-entered his shell and clung to him.

The other three boys crowded behind him, and Liam slowly opened the door and stepped out.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Here you go, boys." Simon was dishing out food in the kitchen while the five boys more or less sat at the large oak table in his spacious dining room adjacent.

The man carried in the food on a large platter, setting it down and placing the loaded plates in front of each silent boy.

It had been a struggle and a trial of Simon's patience to get them all here like this.

After they had come out from bathing, they all had milled in certainly in the hall, until Simon came out of his bedroom.

They all had drawn back, watching him nervously as he approached, the latter keeping a gentle smile on his face.

"There, that looks better boys." He had said warmly. "I bet you feel better too."

None had answered him, just stared back silently.

Simon had then given them a more through tour of the house, a minor meltdown occurring when he attempted to give them separate bedrooms.

"We stay together." Liam had announced firmly, pressing his back against the wall and clutching Zayn tighter.

"Of course." Simon had only blinked in disappointment, and the boys bolted.

Simon remained rooted to the spot, knowing that chasing them would only invite more distrust, and instead walked to the kitchen to begin dinner, whistling loudly so the five orphans would know where he was.

Once the succulent smells of the meatloaf and fries he was making wafted through the large house, he began to hear shuffling sounds, and had to keep holding back a smile as one by one the five boys slowly appeared, drawn by the scent of the food.

Once they all had crept into the kitchen, he turned and smiled at them, which had them scurrying backwards once more, but he pretended not to notice, breezily talking to them about what they were having for diner as he made point of setting the table himself.

Their fearful eyes had followed his every move as he talked and worked, and finally they had stepped back inside the same room he was.

Checking the timer, Simon had seen they had at least ten minutes before they could eat, so he asked if they would like to watch some television with him.

His heart sank at the blank looks cast his way.

It turned out they had never even _seen_ a TV before, much less watched anything on one.

Simon decided that Land Before Time would make suitable viewing, so as maybe they would feel more comfortable once he transferred them there.

The five boys were enraptured by the video, and when it was time to eat, Simon was amused to see them all looking a shade petulant.

Trying to get them to sit at the table was another struggle.

They flinched back from the table as through it burned, and heaven forbid that they _sat_ in _separate chairs_!

But he had managed it, and was feeling quite proud of himself as he set a plate mounded with steaming food in front of each terrified boy.

"Go on, dig in." he told them smiling.

The other four boys glanced at Liam, who took a tentative mouthful, clumsily holding his fork as he resisted shoveling it in.

He nodded to the others, throwing a quick glance towards Simon, who was eating his own food.

Liam flashed the man a quick smile, then shyly bent his head to resume his meal.

Simon inwardly flinched at the animalistic way they attacked the meatloaf and fries with gusto, reminding himself that they were starving.

As they finished their plates, Simon kindly asked if they would like anymore, and they stared at him as though he had just sprouted an extra head.

Then Niall gave a quick nod, glancing at the other boys, who jerked their heads in frightened nods as well.

Simon refilled their plates and they quickly finished this as well, but Simon knew better then to over-feed them.

He didn't need them to fall dead from over-eating after having starved for so long.

"Follow me boys." He said kindly, and to his surprise, they all rose as one and followed him, a little closer then they had been before the meal.

Simon just hoped he wouldn't lose the tiny amount of trust they had granted him with what he was about to do next.

Stopping in front of a closed door, he turned to them.

"Boys." He said kindly, but firmly. " I need to give you all some medicines that will make you all feel better. We are going to walk in here and then I will give the to you, okay?"

The five boys didn't even hesitate.

They spun and fled, this time seeming to know where they were going.

Quickly, Simon ensured all his doors and windows were locked, then jogged to his room in order to watch them through the security monitors.

After a bit of searching, he found them.

Just as he suspected: they were trying to get out.

With a sigh, Simon went to his medical supplies room, picked up the inhaler, and the de-worming pills, then made his way to where he last saw the boys.

They were still there, and Louis, who seemed to be on guard, let out a cry as he appeared.

"It's okay." Simon soothed, and set the small pile on the floor. "Here." He held up the inhaler. "This will help Harry's asthma." He explained how to use one, then set it aside.

Next he explained about the pills, and left the room.

Watching once more from his security monitors, he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as one by one the boys took the medicines and followed his instructions exactly, Harry pocketing the inhaler.

Simon sat back.

Now all he needed to do was get a bedroom ready for all five to sleep in together.

Getting to his feet, Simon strode out of his room and turned towards the other bedrooms.

Tomorrow they would be leaving.

Tonight they needed to rest.


End file.
